Raila Odinga, the presidential candidate of the One Kenya Alliance, has chosen Narc-Kenya leader Martha Karua as his running partner.
According to the Star, the Azimio Running Mate Selection Panel has stated that Karua is highly regarded for the post.
Charity Ngilu (Kitui), Hassan Joho (Mombasa), Lee Kinyanjui (Nakuru), and Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega) were all interviewed for the running mate role by the panel last week.
Sabina Chege, a Murang’a Woman Representative, Peter Munya, the Agriculture Cabinet Secretary, and Stephen Tarus, a former Emgwen MP, are among the others.
Raila promised the people at Kamukunji Grounds on Sunday that he will reveal his running companion today at 11 a.m. at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).
“Nimeangalia hali ya anga na nataka kuwaambia kwamba kesho saa tano kule KICC nitatangaza,” Raila said.
Karua has gotten support from a number of Mt Kenya leaders as well as female leaders from across the country, who felt she was the ideal candidate for the role.
The Kikuyu Council of Elders (KCE) said on Tuesday that Ms Karua had the finest understanding of politics and democracy among the ten lawmakers interviewed for the position.
“We only have four candidates for Raila’s running mate from Mt Kenya. We will support them, but from our experience, we will be happy if we get Martha Karua as the running mate and later the Deputy President to Mr Odinga,” the elders said in a statement read by Ndungu wa Gaithama, the national chairman.
Women leaders allied to Raila had also endorsed Karua to be the Azimio running mate.
The women, drawn from 26 parties allied to Azimio la Umoja, were speaking during a meeting held at the Jacaranda Hotel in Westlands, Nairobi County.
The group described Karua as an experienced leader who had a proven track record in her service delivery to Kenyans.
Earlier, Karua had said she will have no problem if not picked as ODM leader Raila’s presidential running mate.
Though there has been intense pressure and lobbying from her supporters over the seat, Karua said the outcome of the ongoing vetting will not make her quit Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance.
